Speaker gives government MLAs second chance
Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly
(CNS): The speaker of the Legislative Assembly adjourned the special meeting today at around 10:30am until 2pm after her formal summons from the chair to members failed to produce a quorum to allow the House to meet. After Julianna O’Connor-Connolly gave members a second chance to show up for the controversial meeting this afternoon, the wrangling began between MLAs, the speaker and the attorney general as Education Minister Tara Rivers, the only government representative who showed up, indicted that there was no quorum for the meeting.
Rivers pointed to the Constitution rather than the relevant rule in Standing Orders to justify the government’s position and appeared unprepared for the political rumble over the meeting, which had been requested by the opposition and independent members in accordance with Standing Orders to debate two motions relating to the police.
The speaker ordered all members and the attorney general to come to the afternoon session prepared to argue their points, using both Standing Orders and the Constitution, over whether the meeting can go ahead and her response to the refusal of the majority of government members to show up.
The government wants the motions moved to the meeting it has called for later this month but the independent member for North Side said that the motions could not be pushed forward because he, as one of the movers, already has three private member’s motions filed for the meeting on 25 April and this motion would exceed his quota.
“This is a sad state of affairs,” the independent member said, as he criticized Rivers for not coming prepared and outlined the technical tangle he believes government is now in because it cannot properly adjourn this meeting ahead of its planned session for 25 April unless it comes to the House and wins the vote to do so, leaving the meeting in limbo.
Check back to CNS later for more on the ongoing LA dispute.
Category: Politics
CIG. When the best you got is still a long way from good enough. It seems they mistook Honorable for ignorant. But then again all they have to be is smarter then the voters.
One thing for sure, the PPM have successfully replaced expat talent with mediocre Caymanians. When they came to power they said “being Caymanian is not a qualification”. I have news for you, having a qualification does not necessarily qualify you for a job. They have done nothing to tackle the entitlement culture. I am highly critical of them but what choice is there, certainly not McK and his “gang”. I am genuinely concerned for my adopted land.
That’s a lie from the depths of hell. PPM has allowed more permit experts than ever before. The last thing Cayman needs is people adopting here over their motherland. Go home! Until then, enjoy the Cayman money and buy a one-way Cayman Airways ticket.
All you on here bashing the Progressives, better be careful what you are asking for. Remember why you changed out the UDP Government the last time? At lease with the Progressives you got Stability and real professionals running these Islands, why would you want to change back to the Rogue Government of the UDP and Ezzard and Arden? Why? In the case of Mr. Baine, is this not what Bernie, McKeeva and others asked for? The step down of Mr. Baine and on FULL pay? How stupid was that? If you have to pay him, put him to work. Now What? You All better be careful what you are asking for, you may get it in abundance and trust me, you may not like what you get. Just Saying……BTW the unemployment issues that the Progressives were facing when they got in, was also caused by the welfare state McKeeva created. Put the blame, where it should go.
Please re-read the content of 13/04/2016 at 5:55 p.m. AND 13/04/2016 at 2:11 p.m. They have captured the essence of what this row is really all about! Don’t allow yourself to be influenced and distracted by red herrings, which are drawn by those who are still bitter that their puppet(s), who were not sufficiently savvy to discern their motives, were duly removed by the electorate who was! The choice that was made was- and still is- the best option.Stay strong amid the deliberate agitation!
So much of us the populace of Cayman are scared to go out after dark to have a meal or to socialize with friends and family and these buffoons still think that there is no urgency to have a debate on trying to get a handle on crime. i believe it is as important and perhaps moreso as discussing beneficial owner platform. Tell me why in the 21 st century that any government worth the air they breath cannot do both. mr. Panton went to the UK so what kept the Premier and the rest of his people from showing up
Trust me when I say you don’t have to worry about these PPM fools come next year. I know they na getting back in and Tarra too.. They better start packing…
@4.58am You dont have to worry about the PPM this year either, what you have to worry about is that group being led by McKeeva ,Ezzard and Arden.
I don’t understand why the Profressives would not attend the meeting at the LA today. The fact that Mr. Baines has decided to step down should not determine whether or not the lawmakers should meet to discuss the shortcomings of the RCIP. Anyone with a semblance of intelligence should see that this entire debacle with the RCIP is much bigger and more important than Baines. Every member of the legislature should have jumped at the opportunity to spend a few days if need be to try to come up with some proposals to assist the police to get back on track and do a better job in policing the Cayman Islands. They seems to be having a lot of internal issues that prevents them from tackling crime in a meaningful way. Security of the headquarters has been breached on more than one occasion and it is obvious they need a lot of help. Hopefully after Baines there will be another COP and any plans and proposals would hopefully be of benefit to the new appointee. The Premier has shown clearly what many of us suspected all along and that he is failing in his leadership as well. HIs and Baines arrogance has set the Cayman Islands back instead of leading us forward and it could have been different if they would have decided to take a step back and do some self evaluation. Crime is bringing the Cauman Islands to its knee and neither the Premier nor the COP thinks it is important. We are now locked in and hoping each day and night that we won’t be any place where the next robbery is going down, but as far as they are concerned it is not important!!. I am so disappointed in both of them as well as the others who failed to show up to the LA today. I wonder what they will tell their constituents, how will they spin this? Both of them could have tried a littler harder to give us some hope by using some good old fashion common sense.I guess the old saying still rings true ” common sense is not so common”
I just saw Julie running on TV.. I have never ever seen her that light and quick on her feet..Alden definitely got her ear this morning.
This is one that has been a part of every party and now I wonder when PPM is kicked to the curb come May next year which party she is going to run to..
I am so disappointed today in the party that I fought so hard to get elected and Julie you lost my respect today.
You don’t respect yourself enough to make a comment that is not contradictory; noone should expect to have your respect for long. The government didn’t show up to work, yet the Speaker managed to provide them, the other elected members who showed up, and the the people of the Cayman Islands with an opportunity for debate on relevant issues. The government and premier chose to reject that opportunity leaving the voters to wait and guess at the mercy of the government and criminals. It is not the job, nor should it be, for the Hon. Speaker to dishonor the people of the Cayman Islands and the Legislative Assembly by engaging members on the floor of the House after a meeting has been closed or adjourned, who insist on carrying on with unintelligible communication indicative of the lack of their preparation. If you allow yourself to believe that it is more important to consider which party she will be affiliated with than it is for an entire government and party to do their duty, then you obviously have questionable and unpatriotic priorities. If you and delinquent politicians displayed a fraction of the intelligence and selflessness the Speaker displayed, we would be discussing more positive issues, rather than discussing the issue of the government not showing up for work.
em she should have lost your respect a long time ago. Driveways come to mind!
After the Premier indicated that the government was going to boycott this particular session of the house. The Cayman Reporter noted, “that Premier McLaughlin had gone on record saying the government members would boycott the special session, as he did not see the urgency of debating the motions.” If memory serves me right, I believe that he then indicated, that the issue of Beneficial Ownership and the leaking of the Panama Papers were the two main drivers of the reason why the government could not attend the house.
However, the Premier and the Chief Officer noted on Monday that the government had signed an agreement with the UK re: Beneficial Ownership. Now, it seems to me that, there would now be time to go and debate these two motions. They did not have to support it. They have the numbers on their side so they could have defeated it…so what is the problem? Did the Premier fear that he may have had defections on this?
These motions has merit, and for someone to say that crime is not an urgent issue for the elected officials to deal with as best as the constitution allows must have fallen and hit their head. Crime is not a trifling annoyance Mr. Premier especially with the increase in gun crimes.
You have no idea what type of precedence it would set if the opposition could set special meetings any week they want just to interfere with the current government. They have scheduled meetings for a reason where motions can be brought by the opposition. That is what they are for. If the motions being brought forward could not wait the extra 12 days before the next meeting, then fine, but they could. They are not emergencies. So the premier and PPM met and made he correct decision that there was no emergency, so the motions could wait 12 more days until the scheduled sitting.
Can you imagine if the opposition could dictate when meetings were and when the premier had to show up? And if the premier didn’t show up then there would be a big uproar? Listen to yourself, that makes no sense. If employees could call meetings whenever suits them and whenever they wanted to, and their boss was required to show up at a whim, then no business would ever get done.
**MAY2017**
Sometimes the Opposition has to call meetings especially when the Government bench sits by and do nothing. They called the meeting, it was and still is an emergency. They should not have to call it, if the government bench had done what they were supposed to, they would not have to do so. They skipped out on us this time but come 2017 we will surely skip out on them.
@7.06am You are just disappointed that McKeeva did not get his way.
Spoken like a true PPM business owner. You treat politics like you treat your businesses and workers. You’re more concerned about your convenience than issues affecting the standard of living and safety of people under your authority. The people of the Cayman Islands would much rather imagine that the government voted into office would show up to work. It seems by the PPM’s action that they want us to really imagine that and dream on because they have no intention of working until they really have to. Please don’t show up to work on nomination day for next election because you don’t need to and we don’t need you.
Yes, they were voted into office…their offices are at the Government Administration Building…where yesterday they announced a major upgrade to Cayman Airways’ fleet. They were at work. The opposition workplace is their constituency offices unless the LA is in session and the LA is not in session unless the government wants it to be, that’s why there is a quorum rule. The opposition can’t just do what they like and boss the government around because elections have consequences. The opposition are playing politics and the government are doing the people’s business. They have one year left to fulfill as much of their manifesto as possible and create the conditions necessary for another win next time around. And if Cayman votes for any other group of people, that will be a disaster. So quickly we take for granted the way a proper government operates and forget about past scandals. Then we make a big mistake and regret it for 4 years, howling about corruption, poor decisions and wasteful spending. The relationship with the UK has never been better. The books are balanced. Laws are being passed to keep our financial industry ahead of the game, provide new economic opportunities, improve the way government operates and make life here fairer for everyone. This government is the best we have had in my memory, which isn’t long, but there are many like me whose public consciousness was forged in the scandals of the recent past and we don’t take for granted what we have now. We will do everything we can to return the Progressives to office and if the slow, old, ignorant Cayman that has been our shame as the first generation of Caymanians to be global citizens with modern values, votes the Progressives out and replaces them with amateur buffoons led by any of the overweight dinosaurs still stinking up our political system, it’s going to be for the last time because very soon there will be more of us than there are of you. One thing your votes (which you treat like weapons or toys rather than duties to be exercised responsibly in the national interest) won’t be able to change.
You so eloquently made us all know your agenda. Please continue to multiply. 0 multiplied by infinity, still equals 0. Even if there is only one Caymanian or person of a different nationality left who chooses love, people, and unity over selfishness, division, and the mob mentality, that person will represent more value than the sad vision of Cayman that you have just promoted my dear Sir or Madam. Peace be with you and your multitude.
I’m just a young Caymanian who realises that his elders are now out of place in their own country. The island matured but the people in charge didn’t and the effects of this are seen in the dysfunction across society. Evolution takes place culturally and socially now, much faster than it does for every other species. I’m waiting for nurture to do its thing.
Young Caymanian, nurture your mind and heart and stop waiting on nature. Educate yourself and if you think it is your time to take the lead, then step forward and look out for those younger than you who may disrespect you like how you just did those who came before you. Have peace not conflict my brother or sister.
@1.15pm So young Caymanian you just disrespected every Caymanian who is older than yourself, in order to try to gain respect for yourself. Is that the way you are planning to lead, then God help us all.
You mean a business owner from Walker’s Road perhaps?…lol
So Alden says no-one is to turn up part from him and guess who comes waltzing in the door meaning he has to slink away like a burglar? WTF is Tara Rivers playing at? Was is incompetence or was she trying to humiliate her own leader? Maybe she’s going to switch teams to try and keep her snout in the trough a little longer. But really does anyone care anyway? All the posturing and political games is beyond pathetic. It’s like a teenage girls birthday party.
I don’t know what’s worse: the MLAs showing up for work and making things worse or staying away and accomplishing nothing.
$:45pm Stop trying to cause strife. If you don’t know exactly what happened, wait until you have the correct answer instead of shaping the news to suit your point of view.
Never in the history of local politics has someone had the privilege to be groomed and mentored so long by someone so gifted in diplomacy as Alden has had with Kurt, and never has anyone failed so miserably.
Only the good Lord could turn water into wine and only he could turn an arrogant fop into a gentleman.
Ok, even if I disagree and or agree to the meeting today, as a voter, we pay these guys to listen to each other. How disrespectful, I know one thing no one in the PPM are going g to get my vote this time round. NONE!!!!
True Ting I guess MvKeeva, Ezzard or Arden have never missed a meeting or boycotted a meeting of the LA. Remember that MLAs are summoned to each session of the house and all of these MLAs have missed one or more meetings . Are they disrespecting the Speaker? You tell me; but please stop playing politics and trying to make us believe that only PPM members have missed meetings in the LA.
Hello.
Well now I have seen it done. Political suicide. These so called “Honourable” persons have just killed themselves in the political world. They are done. They ant show up to a special meeting but I bet they can show up for free drinks at they’re favorite bar.
Well I for one will call them and they’re cacaus out, you all, in my opinion are nothing but a bunch of spoilt little brats, whose mommy and daddy didn’t spank.
I can tell you this though. I question your integrity, honesty, ethnics. I question every stitch of yours and your family’s lives. No it’s all a farce and fraud.
There’s nothing you can do about it ether. Your too coward. You have yellow streaks running from your ancestors to your necks and up from there.
As for the elected members from Boddentown who did not bother to show up. I hope your businesses (which by the way we will boycott) will sustane you. We will not be allowing you in next election (257 family members strong). Your done. You showed your true colors. Yellow.
And this little stunt was fronted up by the man who wants control of the police? Yeah, right!
Banana Republic politics. Well done Mr Premier, you’ve just confirmed what everyone always suspected.
Minister Rivers failed to show up for the 2pm session but left her belongings in the chamber and sent her ‘apologies’. What games is she and her government colleagues playing at?
What a bunch of cowards!!
Petulance. Just show up and do your ******** job for once without acting like preening teenagers. Alden you are not president of the United States or the queen of England. Tara you better get your CV in order come election time.
Poor Tara! One hit wonder – enjoy it while you can.
Not even a “one hit wonder”. One hit miss!
Alden sent Tara…REALLY???!
Alden was at the LA. He left when he saw rivers arrive so that there would not be a quorum. If that isn’t a testament to his arrogance and leadership I don’t know what is. He threw his own minister under the bus.
What was she doing there when Alden committed the government to denying a quorum for this meeting and announced on the radio two days ago that only he would show up? That’s the question you need to be asking.
Maybe she has gone to the other side!
To 1.50pm Possibly some thing came during the interval that required the Premiers attention and thus Tara was asked to sit in .Perhaps Tara asked to be the one to show up and represent the Government,remember she is not a Party member of the PPM and needed to let her supporters see her in the Chamber .Now she can say “i showed up”.
Poor Tara. She is a woman in a dogs game. Good luck to her. She will be eaten!!
No she tried to undermine the Government stance by showing up even though she must have agreed not to under collective responsibility. She is a lose canon who is easily manipulated by those trying to manipulate the standing orders and deliberately playing games to dictate to the Government.
The motion they want to debate is now a Moot point. The Commissioner has resigned! Why don’t they call public meetings in respective districts and explain to their constituents if they so want to be heard? Why force the debate of a motion that castigated the entire Police Force? They just saw a gray area now that the Government has a slim majority and wanted to flex their much soft muscles.
Arden and Ezzard your motives are blatant ! Your jealous hatred of the Premier should be obvious to all by now. Mr Eden I’m so ashamed and disappointed to see u put your name with some of those 8. As for Alva I hope that you have finally found your place because from the beginning u did not fit and your constant complaining was to camoflage your inadequacies. As for the others I won’t even waste my thoughts. STOP wasting the Government and the people’s time!
It is more like Alden and Tara playing musical chairs. You sound like you have had too much cool ade. What is there about the Premier to be jealous off- must be his constant fidgeting and licking and snapping of lips.
Are you saying Alden had to leave and Tara was summoned to replace him?
I don’t know what he is saying but this is clear and witnessed by persons present that day including politicians, Hon. Tara showed up to make up the numbers necessary for the debate to take place. Alden arrived and once he realized Tara was there, he ran because if he entered the Chamber, he could not object to the motion because of lack of numbers. A real coward. Instead of verbally abusing Tara and the only other woman elected MLA, either stop the abuse all together or be fair and call Alden and his no show men colleagues cowards for running from their obligation. It’s disgusting that not even women stand up and support these women.
@12.22pm Unless you have specific proof to share with us to back up your comments,then all we have is your (biased) opinion.eg You say Tara showed up to make up the quorum. Prove it . You say that the Premier ran when he realized that Tara was already there because he did not want to make up the numbers.Prove it.Did either of them discuss their actions with you , or is this all guess work on your part? It is ok to have differing opinions from those of Tara and/or Premier, but it is not ok to pass off something as facts , if you don’t have proof. So where is the proof?
I feel somewhat sorry for you not giving you proof and I don’t want others to think what I said is not factual. If you weren’t at the LA then watch the publicly available video of the session. At approximately 21:21 in the video MLA from East End clearly states that the Premier was inside the LA. The fact is that he did enter the Chamber for the reason I said in my previous post.
CNS: Arden McLean said Alden McLaughlin was there but McLaughlin said he wasn’t. See more recent article here https://caymannewsservice.com/2016/04/rivers-appears-as-reluctant-boycotter/
The videos of the sessions are posted below that article.
To 12.30 am First of all it seems like you need to decide whether or not Alden entered the Chamber of the LA.You say that ‘he ran because if he entered the Chamber, he could not object to the motion because of lack of numbers’. This implies that he did not enter the chamber but ran rather than doing so.Now you are saying that ‘he did enter the Chamber for the reason I said in my previous post ‘.So which is it?
Previous typo “…he did not enter the Chamber…”
Seems to me you are a red koolaid drinker. Cant even waste time arguing with you
You right about one thing 2:11pm; Arden and Ezzard’s motives are clear/obvious/blatant. The Premier’s, not so much!
Food for thought!
Anonymous 2:11 — What world you living in everyone of the 8 MLAs who signed that request to the Speaker has held public meetings in their constituencies to explain their position. The question you must bnow ask is when will those who boycotted the meeting have their public meetings to explain their positions.
To 2.11 pm, You need to do is to decide exactly who or what you perceive Tara to be. First you say that she tried to undermine the Government by failing to follow “collective responsibility” decision to boycott.Then you say
that she is easily manipulated (perhaps in the same way you are being manipulated by McKeeva ,Arden,and Ezzard).Make up your mind :Which is she , manipulator or manipulated?
Just like how he’s throwing ALL of us under the bus. There is not a position in the world that would be powerful enough to curb his ego! Sad representation of my people!
When the Caymanian people realize how bad he has screwed all of us he will need run somewhere else to live! Mark it!
Alden always sends someone else; always has someone else speak for him….
We, the voting public should be able to pick our Premier after members have been elected. We should choose who leads us and we should have a National Voting system not this carp called “one man, one vote”.
Seriously, these politicians need to go. All of them!!!
Tara Rivers just killed any chance of reelection
Her chance of reelection died long ago. She reminds me of that Vanilla Ice song.
Oh please don’t compare “Ice Ice Baby” to Tara Rivers!!! After she gone, “Ice Ice Baby” will still be played at wedding receptions and ’90’s throwback parties.
A better song to describe her with, would be “Informer” by Snow, hahahahaha
You mean the melody that Vanilla Ice stole from QUEEN!?
LOL
Lookup “under pressure” by Queen and tell me what you think then.
Sorry, I don’t support so called artists that STEAL from other artists and claim it’s theirs.
Can the Speaker doc the pay of all the MLA’s that did not attend todays sittings? If so please do and make it worthwhile. Thanks.
Can the speaker have driveways paved during an election year?